Joel_BC
Super Self-Sufficient
Here in my area we have some frustratingly invasive plants. For instance, on our place we have knapweed, which is a tough plant that grows large, vigorous, and tough-rooted once it finds an opportunity, and which produces many seeds each year. (Maybe I’m late to learn about this method, so forgive me if this seems old-hat.)
Someone wrote in to a local letter-to-the-editor column about this approach to fighting such plants: use agricultural urea (46-0-0) right at the base of each plant. As most here will know, urea is a naturally occurring chemical that is found in urine, and also in a lesser concentration in our blood and lymph. Ag urea is usually sold as powder or micro-pellets.
I’m an organic grower. Why would this “chemical” approach appeal to me? Well, knapweed invades & thrives in dryish areas with “unimproved” soil. We have some of that because our water supply is limited, and there’s some cleared land on our place and the adjacent properties where knapweed has been taking hold. I’ve tried dealing with the plants by weed-whacking them when they appear early in their season (to avoid the seed-formation phase), and by digging them out. Digging up the roots can require 15 minutes per plant, and it’s aggravating because you can’t spare the time and you know you’ll be doing it again next year!
Knapweed is a plant that cannot utilize much nitrogen, therefore it dies after the urea application. The article I read says hawkweed, comfrey, and dock are among the pants that will be affected similarly. Over time, soil bacterial will digest urea, as it is a natural molecule.
BTW, this is very different than broad application of artificial nitrogen fertilizer to a field — which is controversial due to possible undesirable influence on the water table below the fields. In many places, ag urea can be bought in either hefty sacks or small quanitites (by the pound).
Someone wrote in to a local letter-to-the-editor column about this approach to fighting such plants: use agricultural urea (46-0-0) right at the base of each plant. As most here will know, urea is a naturally occurring chemical that is found in urine, and also in a lesser concentration in our blood and lymph. Ag urea is usually sold as powder or micro-pellets.
I’m an organic grower. Why would this “chemical” approach appeal to me? Well, knapweed invades & thrives in dryish areas with “unimproved” soil. We have some of that because our water supply is limited, and there’s some cleared land on our place and the adjacent properties where knapweed has been taking hold. I’ve tried dealing with the plants by weed-whacking them when they appear early in their season (to avoid the seed-formation phase), and by digging them out. Digging up the roots can require 15 minutes per plant, and it’s aggravating because you can’t spare the time and you know you’ll be doing it again next year!
Knapweed is a plant that cannot utilize much nitrogen, therefore it dies after the urea application. The article I read says hawkweed, comfrey, and dock are among the pants that will be affected similarly. Over time, soil bacterial will digest urea, as it is a natural molecule.
BTW, this is very different than broad application of artificial nitrogen fertilizer to a field — which is controversial due to possible undesirable influence on the water table below the fields. In many places, ag urea can be bought in either hefty sacks or small quanitites (by the pound).
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